Police body cam bill passes in Texas Senate, faces House vote

Posted by Leigh Evans on April 28, 2015

Breitbart - A police body camera bill passed in the Texas Senate on Thursday by a split vote of 22-8, but faces the Texas State House which has two of its own bills. The bill does not mandate that Texas peace officers use body cams, but mandates uniformity of policies by those using the cameras provided by a grant. The eight Senators that voted against the bill were all Republicans.

SB 158 was authored by Royce West (D-Dallas) and was co-authored by Senators Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and John Whitmire (D-Houston). As passed, the bill applies to sheriff’s departments, city law enforcement offices, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Local police and sheriff’s departments could apply for grant funding but it is a volunteer program. Senator West was the author of the legislation that provided for cameras in patrol cars.

...The bill is now on its way to the Texas State House where similar issues are expected to be raised. Texas State Representative Allen Fletcher is the Chair of the Emerging Issues in Texas Law Enforcement House Committee and the bill, and those like them, will have to go through his committee. Breitbart Texas spoke to Chairman Fletcher who said he would be carrying the Senate Bill through the House.